“The Basic Police Academy Training program strives to prepare students mentally, morally and physically to advance into a field training program, assume the responsibilities and execute the duties of a peace officer in society. The Mission of the academy is to provide training and testing that ensures each student graduates with the demonstrated character, knowledge, problem-solving abilities, human relations, communication and physical skills necessary to meet the professional standards required of a peace officer.”

About Us

If you have considered becoming a peace officer, you realize how competitive the process is. Generally, from each one hundred people without experience, who test, only about five are ever hired as peace officers. Many Smaller Agencies do not hire people without prior training or law enforcement experience.

The Southwestern College Police Academy offers the opportunity to train part-time, so education is gained and you, as a peace office candidate, will qualify as a “lateral entry” candidate with the basic academy certificate. The Southwestern College Police Academy is fully sanctioned by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) California.

Description from Catalog:
The Police Academy is a Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) Certificated Training Academy for California law enforcement. It meets the basic requirement for employment as a municipal, county and state law enforcement officer. State law requires completion of a POST-Certified Basic Course for lateral-entry level employment in law enforcement. The Police Academy is made up of two phases, which requires 10-1/2 months to complete. (AJ 41– Police Academy I = 12.5 Units and AJ 42 – Police Academy II = 12.5 Units)